Kearsney rugby festival returns
Local rugby fans will be especially interested to watch how four of the province's best schools – Glenwood High School, Westville Boys' High School, Durban High School, and the hosts Kearsney – do against some of the country's best.
ALTHOUGH the school rugby season has only just begun, the country’s best teams are already gearing up for the Standard Bank Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival (KERF), which begins this Thursday, April 14.
Over the three play days: Thursday, April 14, Saturday April 16, and Monday, April 18, a great line-up of 12 rugby-playing schools is scheduled to produce some cracking running schoolboy rugby.
ALSO READ: Gear up for Kearsney’s Easter Rugby Festival
This year’s festival will feature four Gauteng powerhouse teams: Hoërskool Monument (Monnas) from Krugersdorp, Pretoria Boys High, Hoërskool Waterkloof (Pretoria) and Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen (Boksburg). Hoërskool Noord-Kaap from Kimberley will be returning to the festival, as well as three strong Eastern Cape teams: Selborne College (East London), Hoërskool Framesby (Gqeberha) and festival newcomers Hoër Landbouskool Marlow (Cradock). Four primary school teams will be invited to compete, giving young athletes the opportunity to experience the thrill of playing in front of large spectators on a full-size field. Hillcrest Primary, Highbury and Umhlali Preparatory will all play the KZN Rugby Union’s Ibutho-Mark Godefroy U13 squad to open each day’s play.
After a two-year Covid-imposed hiatus, the event is a welcomed return for players and fans. The school’s headmaster, Elwyn van den Aardweg said, “We are absolutely delighted that we’re able to provide players and supporters with the 13th KERF. The first KERF took place in 2008, and there have been 12 editions since then, as for the past two years we were unable to provide a festival due to the restrictions on sport and spectators during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Players and the public are encouraged to donate new or gently used rugby equipment and apparel to designated collection boxes at the main field. The KZNRU Development Programme and the Siripat Lions Rugby Club will receive contributions to the ‘Boots & Balls’ outreach effort.
With a coffee shop, food outlets, a KidZone and a beer tent, the Kearsney campus makes for a great day out for the whole family. The cost of admission is R30 per person.
All matches will be live-streamed on the supersport schools.com app and website, and fixtures and festival information will be at kearsney.com.
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